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Program management

Description of a program​

A program is a project that has been identified as a program. Once created, projects can be attached to it, allowing them to be managed together through a dedicated portfolio that provides oversight of planning, budget, risks, and overall program status.

It's the right level when several projects contribute to a common goal: the program aggregates their milestones and indicators, while each project stays autonomous in its execution.

Creating a program​

To establish a program:

  1. Navigate to the Project menu and select New project
  2. Choose a Gantt type project
  3. Enter the project name and save
  4. Open the Advanced tab and tick Program

Creating a Planning (Gantt) type project

Advanced tab: the "Program" checkbox ticked

The project then becomes a program: it can host other projects.

Associating projects with a program​

You can attach multiple project types (Gantt, Kanban, Scrum) to a program:

  1. Edit the definition of the project to attach
  2. Go to the Advanced tab
  3. Use the Program link field to select your previously created program

A project's Advanced tab: the "Program link" field

A project can join a program regardless of its type: a Gantt program can steer agile projects.

Creating the program portfolio​

To monitor your program, create a portfolio that tracks it automatically:

  1. Go to the portfolio menu and add a new portfolio
  2. Enter a name and select the Projects tab
  3. Choose Dynamic portfolio and filter by Program
  4. Select your program name to populate the portfolio with the program and all attached projects

Dynamic portfolio filtered on the program, populated with the program and its projects

Because the portfolio is dynamic, any new project attached to the program will appear automatically.

Steering the program​

The program portfolio gives access to the same consolidated views as a regular portfolio: Global planning, Budget, Weather, Prioritization, risk / decision / change registers, etc. In the Global planning, the program appears highlighted in orange, above its attached projects.

See also​

Good habit

Create the program before the projects it groups when possible: you can fill in the Program link right when creating each project, rather than coming back to attach them one by one.